One time, during my freshman year of college, I had borrowed my parents' car to attend an event, which turned out to be really disappointing (read: Tracy Morgan standup is nothing like my beloved Brian Fellows skits). Actually, the whole night had turned out to be disappointing, falling far short of my high expectations.
Anyway, since I was borrowing my parents' car, I had to return it to their house and stay there that Friday night, while all my friends were in College Park. Completely unexpectedly, several of them showed up at my house late at night, and we just hung out in the basement. It was really impressive, because nobody ever comes to Columbia. Also, this was well before the era of me having a cell phone, so it's not like they even called me in advance. They just showed up, and it redeemed the night for me.
Speaking of expectations, I am madly in love with this scene. PLEASE DON'T CLICK unless you've already seen (500) Days of Summer. I don't want to spoil a thing for you.
I can't remember when the last time I cried in real life. I can, however, remember the last time I cried from watching something on TV or video. It was earlier today.
It was this wedding entrance video that many of you have already seen. You probably didn't cry though. It's just that, one of the key things that I want to find in whoever I might marry is that the person could make a game out of anything. I love it when people can just enjoy little things in life and turn them into something memorable. To have a husband and an entire wedding party who would dance down the aisle to Chris Brown with you? I would want those people around for the rest of my life.
I've actually been crying at pretty much anything I watch on TV lately. But come on, why wouldn't you cry during Melissa and Ade's breast cancer-inspired dance? I hope this video doesn't get removed by Fox soon.
And 16 and Pregnant is pretty moving. Tyler and Catelynn were just so sincere in giving their daughter up for adoption.
And...Little House on the Prairie...well, there's really no excuse for that. That's just embarrassing. But Laura made this really moving speech about her mom in front of the whole town, and showed up Nellie Oleson without even trying to...
No. Really, there's no excuse. I shouldn't have been crying at that.
Here it is, a list of (mostly free) events, in which I would like to partake this summer. Who wants to join me??
also should be added: some sort of a beach trip, rock climbing, and a crab feast (Bert's job to plan)
June Mon, Jun 1: Stoop Stories, Baltimore Thurs, Jun 4: First Thursdays, Baltimore Fri, Jun 5 - 7: camping, MD Mon, Jun 8: Decemberists and Andrew Bird in the woods at Merriweather?, Columbia Tues, Jun 9: TV on the Radio, DC Fri, Jun 12: jazz in the sculpture gardens, DC Fri, Jun 19: jazz in the sculpture gardens, DC Sat, Jun 20: stargazing at the observatory, College Park Wed, Jun 24 - Fri, Jul 3: Folklife Festival, DC Fri, Jun 26: O's vs Nats, Baltimore Sun, Jun 28: Federal Hill Festival?, Baltimore July Wed, Jul 1, Ice Age, Fell's Point Baltimore Thurs, Jul 2: First Thursdays, Baltimore Fri, Jul 3: Ghost Town, Columbia Sat, Jul 4: Fourth of July, location TBA Sun, Jul 5 - Fri, Jul 10: vacation, Massachusetts Sat, Jul 11: Stoop Storytelling Radio Show, Baltimore Thurs, Jul 16: free entrance to AVAM and The Time Machine, Baltimore Fri, Jul 17 - Sun, Jul 19: Artscape, Baltimore Mon, Jul 20: stargazing at the observatory, College Park Wed, Jul 22, Baby Mama, Fell's Point Baltimore Thurs, Jul 23: free entrance to AVAM and Sleeper, Baltimore Fri, Jul 24: jazz in the sculpture gardens, DC Mon, Jul 27: Curious George, Columbia Thurs, Jul 30: free entrance to AVAM and Dr. No, Baltimore Fri, Jul 31: jazz in the sculpture gardens, DC August Mon, Aug 3: On the Waterfront, DC Wed, Aug 5: stargazing at the observatory, College Park Thurs, Aug 6: First Thursdays, Baltimore Fri, Aug 7: jazz in the sculpture gardens, DC Mon, Aug 10: Rebel Without a Cause, DC Wed, Aug 12, Talladega Nights, Fell's Point Baltimore Thurs, Aug 13 - Mon, Aug 17: visiting Jan, Long Beach, CA Wed, Aug 19, Slumdog Millionaire, Fell's Point Baltimore Thurs, Aug 20: stargazing at the observatory, College Park Fri, Aug 21: jazz in the sculpture gardens, DC Sun, Aug 23 - Tues, Sep 8: MD State Fair, Timonium Fri, Aug 28: Bedtime Stories, Columbia Sat, Aug 29: Enchanted, Columbia
The free summer events are in full swing, and I am loving it! Artscape is this weekend. I got some SWAG, saw the world upside-down, unexpectedly went to a fantastic concert, and looked at MICA students' impressive artwork, among other things. I love summer!
After the festivities, some friends and I went to a complete hipster hangout, where I had never been before. While there, we naturally saw some of the crew from Ace of Cakes - Katherine, Anna, and Ben. Where else would they be after Artscape, right? Okay, so the only other famous person I have ever met (besides local/college athletes and that doesn't count) is Iron Chef Chen Kinichi. I do not meet famous people a lot, and when they happen to be famous people that I also would very much like to be friends with, I am pretty starstruck. You know, jumping up and down, talking obsessively about them, planning how to casually start a conversation, et cetera. It's like I take on a new personality - Anna the celebrity stalker.
So the Celebrity Stalker finally worked up the courage to go talk to Katherine and Anna. I believe I said something like, "Can I just tell you I think you guys are hilarious? Keep making cakes and awesome television."
Keep making cakes? Really? Of all the nerdy things to come out of my mouth. Then my friends and I got to talking about other nerdy things we've said to celebrities. One friend met Alex Trebek and said, "I'm a really big fan of your work." Another met Ben Harper and said, "You're not even human, you're so good!" Maybe we just get tongue-tied when trying to make a first impression. Or maybe we say silly things all the time, and we only care when we say them to someone famous. Oh well. It was awesome. I love Baltimore.
At least it went over better than the time I reminded Will Bowers that he burnt down my apartment in college.
I think you mean 'registered sex offender,' and I hope not
One of my favorite features of the meter on this blog is that I can tell what searches link people to my site. I've mentioned before that the most common search phrase that directs people here is "random shivers." Recently, two new phrases have become quite popular: "Baltimore hipsters" and "Ace of Cakes hipsters." After my car trouble story, I just found out that someone was referred here by the following search:
"can pediphiles drive tow trucks"
Ha! It's funny that some people misunderstand how search engines work and phrase their searches as questions, as if the answer is going to pop up. Yes they can. No they cannot.
I can just imagine the situation. under 18-year-old on the phone: Dad, my car broke down. Can you call me a tow truck? father of caller: Uh...hang on. Let me Google something.
nerdy pleasure of the day: writing a business letter
Oh, it makes me miss the Chapel a little bit. I would like to have a desk again, and have a computer, and return emails, and set up my own classroom...
other nerdy things that thrill me:
religious architecture
linguistics (specifically brain development and phonemic awareness)
I feel like I get flat tires all the time. I've had five in four years. Is this an appropriate amount? Is it dramatic to think that they always happen to me? There was...
...and this past Friday brings us to five. Turns out, the fifth time is not a charm when it comes to my ability to change tires. Seriously, I think I could have. It's just that, it blew out on my way home from vacation in a very inconvenient spot. Flash back less than a week, on my way to my vacation, and you will find me and Esther in a similar predicament. My car's starter had given up, and we were calling tow trucks and auto shops trying to find someone who could help us out on a weekend. But I digress.
Flash forward again to Friday. I would change the tire, but the shoulder is so narrow, and the tire's only about a foot away from passing cars, who are honking at me for God only knows why, seeing as how my hazards are flashing, and if I were in any way able to be driving, I would. My inherent desire to keep myself from getting hit by a passing car wins out over my desire to prove myself capable of changing a tire.
After about 18 phone calls, all of which end with, "You're where in New York? Oh we can't get anybody out there," I finally call the police. Before they arrive, however, Creepy Dave shows up and decides to change my tire himself. He's nice enough, it's just that his constant mentioning of pedophiles is a little unnecessary, as is his suggestion that Esther and I give him my tire, have a beer, and wait for him to return from a 24-hour shop in the Bronx. I think we're polite enough in telling him that no, we'd rather keep the tire and drive to a shop ourselves, but thank you so much for changing the tire. This does not go over well with Dave. He gets increasingly upset and even pulls up next to us as we drive away to try and coax us into giving him our tire, thereby saving ourselves from 'pedophiles.' Creepy Dave.
After several hours, and a failed attempt to find a 24 hour shop that someone else told us about, Esther and I check into a Super 8 in Jersey and call it quits for the night. We get it fixed in the morning and return home. All in all, I think we handled being stranded pretty well and made wise decisions under pressure. Someday, though...I will have a rematch with my tires. Someday.
